Letter to the Editor

Occupation tax

Monday, August 23, 2010

Dear Editor,

Several months ago, I noticed a line item under "Details of Your Home Phone Charges" on my telephone bill. It is shown as "City Occupation at 3%."

I put the question to Senator Christensen regarding the above tax and he kindly got back to me with some answers.

According to State Statute 14-109 "The City Council shall have power to raise revenue by levying and collecting a tax on any occupation or business within the limits of the city and regulate the same by ordinance." It would be through the City Council and mayor that you would have to get the tax changed, they would have to change the rate in the McCook city ordinance.

Statute 86-157 is pro rata billing of local tax statute, which indicates that the municipality or local government imposes the tax or fee on the company and then the customers receiving service are billed pro rata by the telecommunications company, within their territorial limits.

Through research on this issue of an occupation tax, it seems that Sen. Pirsch introduced a study in 2009 that examined the occupation taxes imposed on wireless telecommunication services and how to make it affordable for Nebraskans statewide, but it was deferred.

Now fellow residents, look a little closer at the taxes we pay in McCook. We pay a 7 percent sales tax, we pay property taxes (I do not have percentages for them), and now our fine city wants to increase our sewer rates.

Who, in their right mind, would want to move to McCook?

Kathleen Bills,

McCook

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  • Show me a town that doesn't have taxes and I'll show you a town dwendeling away in disrepair.

    Folks, no one LIKES taxes, but be honest..... How do we continue to exist without money to fix streets, fight fires, keep the law, the list goes on. If the City dropped the sales tax, they wouldn't have the reqauired money to fix potholes.... Then... How many anti-taxers would be complaining about the cost of tires they've blown out and who to send the bill to. Its a no win situation the City is in: "Keep us safe, maintain the streets and parks, move the snow... But don't move it here! Keep stray animals off the streets, knock down delapitated buildings..... DON'T CHARGE US FOR ALL OF THAT" what world are you living in? Hey, go to work tomorrow and don't clock in, that way your employer won't have such a high overhead, which in turn will lower their price to me. Doesn't do you any good and you won't be able to exist long that way but its better for me and isn't that the important thing, what makes MY life better?!

    How do you think things get done? Do you pay the City when a water main breaks in your neighborhood? Do you write out a check for the mowing of the parks? It has to come from somewhere people.... You know that right?

    -- Posted by PensiveObserver on Mon, Aug 23, 2010, at 10:00 PM
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